Vows Made in Storms
by Alison R.T
Summary: She was tough and strict, everything about her was like a monsoon, leaving him cold and windburned. She was polite and quiet, everything about her was like warm spring wind, a balm of comfort against his skin. (Or the story of how one relationship began to die as another began to bloom.) Linzin/Pemzin


Tenzin could accurately say that from the moment he met Lin as a child, she was a monsoon and he was a breeze. And that meant that she was in charge. She controlled everything about their friendship. What they did, where they went, and how they viewed things and people. She abhorred pro-bending (mostly because of her mother and Suyin's extreme enthusiasm for said sport) and because of that, so did he. She loved rules and strictly enforced schedules, and so did he. His entire childhood was consumed by two things that seemed equally important at the time; airbending culture and Lin Beifong.

Time after time they could be found running about the Island, laughing and having bending fights (she always won.) Or they would pretend to be detectives and solve assorted mysteries as partners. When they were in the city at her apartment, Toph let them do whatever they pleased, which of course just made Lin more annoyed, so she full heartedly stuck to each and every rule and enforced them with an iron fist. Suyin at first had attempted to follow them around, but it was obvious that Tenzin only had room for one earthbender in his life, and it was Lin.

Of course Kya and Bumi mocked his friendship with the tough little earthbender, calling them boyfriend and girlfriend long before their relationship reached that stage. But even before the two held hands for romantic reasons or swore their loyalty to each other, they were inseparable. Schoolyard tussles (mostly caused by Lin's strict rule enforcing) were fought by the two of them, side by side, together. As predicted by anyone who took a single glance at the two, the time came when they were both old enough that their feelings got confused and their glances turned from friendly to longing.

She was dating some firebender for quite some time when Tenzin admitted to himself that he truly did care for her in more ways than 'just friends.' He even told her so, stating it firmly, his eyes boring into hers with intensity. Lin had looked uncomfortable under his gaze, and regretfully, she informed him that she was leaving for several months for the police academy. Tenzin was a very patient man; he promised to wait for her. So he did, because she was _very_ much worth it.

When she returned at the age of nineteen, a fresh faced young metalbender and member of the police force, he knew he had made the right decision, waiting for her. They kissed for the first time as they overlooked Yue Bay, her lips were cold but inviting to the young man who never really took time for romance until Lin. Her presence eclipsed his life even more than it had previously done. Night after night he visited the Beifong residence, eager to spend any time he could with her. She was the center of his world.

But he was not the center of hers. Work was more important to the ambition driven woman, not that that ever bothered him. He knew what he was getting into.

* * *

><p>Tenzin always imagined waiting until he was married to make love to a woman, but Lin didn't want to get married. They had been dating for two years when she finally snapped and told him that they had been together long enough and that she wanted to be with him fully. When she disrobed in front of him for the first time without a trace of fear in her eyes, he knew that she had done this before, and frankly, he was terrified of disappointing her. It was a wonderful experience for the young man, who had been thinking about such acts of love for quite some time. But afterwards, it was cold, and awkward, she turned her back to him and immediately fell asleep. Tenzin stayed awake, toying with the betrothal necklace he had made for her and wondering if she would say yes to his proposal.<p>

He proposed to her four times in one year. Each time he was rejected (and she pointed out that Air Nomads didn't do betrothal necklaces, and that was a _waterbender_ thing.) When he was twenty-eight, he became very tired of waiting for her to return his love. Their fights became volatile. She took her frustration out on him, her anger towards her mother and Suyin were turned into cruel insults directed at him. But Tenzin stayed, because when he stared at her, he still saw her as his own personal monsoon and he thought he needed her to feel full and happy and alive.

The young man meditated more and more every day, trying to find the patience that had begun to wane. Their love making (or sex, as Lin refused to call it love making, and she had only ever told Tenzin she loved him twice in their entire span of their relationship,) became less frequent, as it was replaced by fighting, her job was making her hair turn gray before she even turned thirty.

Tenzin was very very tired, and all he wanted was to settle down, have children, and stop the constant fighting and hatred that always sprung up between himself and Lin.

He loved Lin, and he couldn't picture a life without her in it. But as each month passed and she didn't seem any closer to wanting the same thing as he did, his hope started to die and his heart started to thud painfully whenever he was in the same room as his childhood friend and love. Constant marriage offers were sent to the Island, many people wanted to marry their daughters off to the famous son of avatar Aang. Tenzin refused each one, and Lin found great pleasure in watching him do so, a smirk on her lips. Briefly, he wondered if Lin truly loved him, or loved the fact that she was the only woman to catch his interest. Sometimes he thought it was the latter.

His frustration would be used to meditate more, to practice airbending more, to learn as much as he could about the culture. At first it helped tremendously, but then it made him yearn even more to have children of his own, to pass his culture on to young minds that were of the same blood as himself.

That was when the new Air Acolytes arrived on the island. Thirty-one year old Tenzin stood by his cheery father and grinning mother as the boat arrived bringing a fresh batch of ten smiling faces. As the last of them stepped off the boat, a sudden surge of peace and tranquility filled Tenzin, causing him to nearly drop the ancient airbending scrolls in his hands. The source of said feeling was the last person to get off the boat.

She had warm green eyes and dark brown hair pulled into awkward braids and a smile that could charm Koh into giving back all the faces he stole over the years. His father introduced the girl as Pema, who had Air Nomad roots from many generations back. She was polite and quiet, everything about her was like spring wind, a balm of comfort against his chilled skin. Tenzin didn't know what it was about the fifteen year old girl, but she was different than the rest of the new acolytes. She was special, and she didn't even know it.

Out of all the new recruits, it was Pema who paid the most attention, and who Aang appeared to like the most. The two had a bond unlike any of the other acolytes. They discussed the 100 year war, he taught her bending formations, she took care of the bison with Aang. Katara too had a fondness for Pema. Together they cooked traditional Water Tribe meals, they had girl talks, and they went for shopping trips into the city. Everything had been going well on the island. Shortly after Pema celebrated her eighteenth birthday, tragedy struck. Avatar Aang passed away, leaving his body to reincarnate into another soul. Tenzin was devastated, but despite all of his pain and suffering, tears would not come from his eyes. He could not cry, and he desperately wanted to know why. The funeral was a somber affair, with his mother crying into Bumi's jacket while Kya patted her on the back and offered kind words.

Finally Tenzin understood how his father felt, now Tenzin was the last airbender. Tenzin was completely alone. After the funeral, Tenzin meditated for thirty four hours. At first, people tried to come talk to him, but each and every time, someone stopped them. He could hear Bumi insisting to pass the person in question, later he heard Kya ask the person to promise to take care of him. When Lin showed up, he felt the earth tremble as she screamed violent insults at his protector, who turned out to be Pema. Pema refused to move, insisting that Tenzin would stop meditating after he felt better. Lin left the island in a huff, angry with the world. Aang had been like a father to her after all.

On the thirty fourth hour of not eating, drinking, or sleeping, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and peace filled his entire being. The young woman called Pema sat next to him, a bowl of broth in her hand and a steaming mug of tea in the other. "Eat," she insisted, breaking his trance. So Tenzin ate hungrily, and quickly he gulped up the scalding drink. "It's okay to be sad about Avatar Aang's death you know, he was your father, and he was a great man," she whispered and Tenzin noticed the red rings around her eyes and the pink tint to her nose and cheeks. But she did not cry, nor did she push or prod or poke him in the ways that he knew his own family would.

With a wave of sudden emotion, Tenzin felt himself break down, tears streaming down his face as he buried it against Pema's smooth neck and soft hair. What surprised him the most was not the fact that her small hand tentatively stroked his back as she whispered soothing words of comfort into his ear, but that he had never felt more loved by any woman (other than his mother) in his life until that moment. After some odd twenty minutes or so, his tears died down and Pema pulled away, the young woman smiled and pressed a gentle, warm kiss to his temple before leaving him alone.

* * *

><p>Over the course of the next year, Tenzin watched Pema every time she was in the vicinity, and he felt like an old pervert. He understood that when she was eighteen she was legally and socially an adult, and that any day she could decide she wanted to get married, but it didn't change the fact that he was twice her age. Not to mention, he was with Lin still, and as far as he knew, Lin still loved him. Truth be told, Tenzin was tired of being thrashed about by a monsoon, tired of the wind burn on his cheeks, all he wanted was the sweet spring air, and that was what Pema was. When he looked at Lin, all he saw was an old childhood friend, and he felt no romantic love past that.<p>

Nine months after Pema turned eighteen, Tenzin was sitting alone, attempting to meditate, but still reeling from the argument he had had with Lin the previous night. "Master Tenzin?" the familiar sweet voice washed over him as he opened his eyes to look at the girl who had filled out into a beautiful woman. "H-hello Pema," he greeted, standing hastily and smiling at her. He towered over her, but she didn't look the least bit intimidated- but she looked as tranquil as always.

"May I join you?" she questioned politely, and he smiled, holding his arm out to invite her to sit, and he followed in suit. For a while they sat in silence, only hearing the distant bleating of the boats on the harbor, and the sounds of nature. It was a comfortable sort of quiet that Tenzin enjoyed the most. After finishing his meditating, he glanced up at the sky, noting how many stars were out that night. Light pollution from the city had made the stars a rare thing, but it seemed as if they had came out for a special occasion on that evening.

"They really are lovely," commented Pema with a content sigh. Tenzin never know how much one could enjoy the sound of a sigh until that moment. "They really are," agreed Tenzin, noting how she leaned back to lay on the grass to stargaze. A smile played about on her lips, "Would you like to join me, Master Tenzin?" He found himself on his back, staring up at the sky and listening to Pema's breathing.

"My mother told me once, that if I was ever missing her, so far away on Air Temple Island, to look up at the stars and the moon, because she would be looking too, and for a moment, we would be together," Pema's voice wobbled a bit at the end, and her melancholy was palpable. "I really do miss my mother, and my siblings, today was Yama's wedding, I couldn't go though, not with the cost to get back to the Earth Kingdom and then back here once more."

A laugh came bubbling out of Pema's throat after her declaration although it was a sad one, "I only could afford to come here when I was fifteen because your father had sent recruiters out to the Earth Kingdom to track down people distantly related to the Airbenders to offer them acolyte positions, they said we would be taken to one of the temples, or this island, for free, if we decided to dedicate our lives to rebuilding the culture…" she trailed off, and Tenzin noted that she was struggling to keep tears at bay.

"What's wrong, Pema? You can tell me anything," assured Tenzin, putting his hand over hers. She looked at him, "Truly?" He nodded. "Truly."

"I've only told your parents this, but my mother had to choose one of her three daughters to send away, both of my brothers had gone into the Earth Kingdom army, because my father had died, leaving us without a yuan to our name. Y-your father was so kind to me, when I first got here. He found me crying, and he comforted me. Your mother, I love your mother so much, she's been so kind and loving. And now she's in the South Pole. I just… never expected to be so happy here. Air Temple Island has been a gift, and I would never leave, ever. I've dedicated my life to it, and I just… don't want to leave," she finished lamely, her words trailing off as she turned away from Tenzin. He was confused.

"Leave? Pema, you're not leaving," insisted Tenzin, after all, he was the one who decided who stayed and who went where.

"I-I'm not? But your- Miss Beifong, she told me that you were sending away all the youngest acolytes to the Western Air Temple…. I'm not leaving? I'm not leaving…" now Pema was crying tears of relief as she sat up, gripping her knees. "Thank you! Thank you so much," without any decorum, she threw herself onto Tenzin, hugging him tightly. It barely took a moment for her to realize what she had done and how inappropriate it was, because she pulled away immediately, her face burning a bright red even in the dim light. "Sorry, I'm just so happy… thank you so much Master Tenzin."

Tenzin, for that matter was stunned into silence, and all he could focus on was how good she had smelled and how soft she was and how different she was from Lin. Lin. He needed to speak with her as soon as possible. He shook himself out of his own thoughts, "It's quite alright, Pupil. I think tonight has been exciting enough for you, I'll walk you to the acolyte house so you can go to sleep." He saw her deflate a bit at his formalness, but then she agreed, standing and helping him up.

They walked back to the acolyte house, not talking, but their sleeves continuously brushed each other. "Master Tenzin, I'm glad we got to talk tonight." Tenzin had to fight from smiling at her, "And I too am glad, Pupil. Sleep well." She went into the acolyte house, her gaze lingering on him as she closed the door. Tenzin fell asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

><p>The next day, Tenzin took his glider into the city, he had to talk to Lin. He waited at her apartment for over five hours, tapping his foot impatiently. When she arrived, she looked shocked to see him. "Tenzin," she said tersely, "what brings you into the city?" Obviously work had been stressful that day. He prepared himself for what he had to say, and at the impatient look on her face, he blurted it out.<p>

"Why did you tell my acolyte, Pema, that I was sending the youngest acolytes away from the island?" Lin froze, caught, but then her famous Beifong temper came out.

"Because, you should be sending them away- at least you should be sending that _little girl_ away," said Lin with a flash to her eyes. "I see how she looks at you, I feel how her little heart speeds up every time you so much as walk by her, and I feel how your heart speeds up when you look at her."

"Lin… I…" said Tenzin pathetically, reaching out to her, feeling that innate desire to make his childhood playmate happy.

"If it's lust, I understand, don't think I haven't looked at some of the new recruits, but if you actually love that child, I couldn't look at you anymore, let alone hold any respect for you." She then walked up to him, putting her rough hand onto his cheek. "Tenzin, we've been together for over ten years, I'm not losing you because of some little girl's fantasy." Her lips pressed against his, and he felt himself allowing her to lead him to her bedroom. Tenzin had never felt so ashamed in his life.

After they had finished having sex (it wasn't lovemaking, Tenzin had thought miserably as his thoughts on Lin were confirmed) Lin looked at him dead in the eyes. "If you want me to be happy, you'll send Pema to the Western Air Temple within the next month. I promise I'll try harder if you get rid of her, I… love you Tenzin. " Having her say she loved him made Tenzin forget how unhappy he was and how forced the word 'love' had sounded on Lin's lips. He couldn't give up a decade of a relationship, he had to try. Maybe this meant Lin would have his children, maybe she would come to the island, maybe maybe maybe….

* * *

><p>Two months later, after a long day in council, he came back to the island, only to see a very determined Pema walking towards him. Her face was as serene as always, her hands were clasped together, and she was the most beautiful thing he had seen. But he had to send her away. He couldn't be a dishonorable man, his father would be appalled if he could see him. He couldn't leave Lin for Pema, even if Pema made his heart beat fast and his face flush and his palms sweaty and his mouth hurt from smiling. Pema would never love him anyways, no matter what Lin had said about a 'fast heartbeat.' He was just an old man. He had to send her away, he should have sent her away the month before.<p>

"Pema," he said gently, "I'm so sorry, but you'll need to start packing your things. The Western Air Temple needs more acolytes, and I wouldn't trust anyone there but you." Her face was stricken, now pale as a bone. She opened her mouth, and he was worried she would start crying.

"I love you!" blurted Pema suddenly, her eyes widening in horror at what came from her mouth. Tenzin's jaw dropped in surprise. "I mean, I just, I feel like I knew you in another lifetime, I feel like I can airbend whenever you're around, my heart beats so fast and I wish I could kiss you and hold you and make you happy until the end of my days. But you've always been with Lin, and I respect that, but she's so rude to you, I've seen your fights, heard your fights, and I've seen her leave you in the dust day after day for a job. And I know that jobs are important, but she's never put you first once."

"Tenzin, I just, I can't let you do this," she continued hurriedly, "I've tried to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself, but I can't watch you throw your love away to Lin Beifong. She doesn't treat you the way she should, she doesn't love you the way you deserve to be loved. But… but I do love you the way you need to be loved. I love you so much Tenzin, and I know you see me as a little girl, and if you're uncomfortable, I'll go to the Western Air Temple, because your happiness means everything to me. I just had to tell you before you spent your next ten years waiting for a dream that will never happen." Tears were streaming down her face, and her voice was impassioned. "I just can't watch my soulmate spend his life with the wrong woman." She finished, her face crumpling as she looked away from him in shame.

Tenzin was silent as he processed everything the beautiful girl in front of him had said. But he couldn't find the words. As he was still too stunned to speak, he watched her wipe her tears with her acolyte robe sleeve, and straighten her back. "I'll go begin packing, Master Tenzin," her voice was formal and stiff, nothing like the voice he was so fond of. Pema walked away, her posture rigid and her steps defiant, as if she had not poured her heart out to a man sixteen years her senior only to have him stare in confusion.

All he could do was watch her walk away, wishing he had the bravery to voice his thoughts or even allow himself to think those thoughts. After one month of needed preparations, she was being sent to the Western Air Temple, bags packed, with all the other acolytes tearily bidding her goodbyes and safe journeys. Lin was there to watch her leave. Once again, Tenzin was struck with the thought that she only loved being the only woman to have him. Pema approached the pair of them last. There were no tears in her eyes, only faint longing and disappointment.

"Goodbye Master Tenzin, Miss Beifong, I hope one day I might host the two of you at the Western Temple." Tenzin nodded sharply and Lin had a faint smirk on her lips, as if she was saying _I won. _"I'm just a little disappointed that this couldn't have waited a week longer, it'll be strange to celebrate my birthday in a new place." Tenzin's heart dropped, her birthday was next week, and he was sending her away, her greatest fear, mere days before she turned nineteen.

She left and that peace that Tenzin had felt for the last four years dissipated immediately. After the acolytes all filtered away, some still crying, Lin turned to him with a satisfied grin on her face. Things would be different from now on, he knew.

* * *

><p>Three months later, Tenzin was still restless and keenly missing Pema's presence. Lin did little to fill the hole in his heart. One night as they sat together, eating dinner, Lin looked at him with a pensive expression on her face. "Tenzin, maybe… in the next year or two, we can possibly get engaged." An idea that would have filled him with happiness two years ago, filled him with dread and discomfort. So he said nothing. That was the wrong move.<p>

"What the flameo Tenzin? I just offered to get engaged to you, and you aren't happy? Are you serious? That was all you bothered me about for the past five years! Do you not want to get engaged to me? Do you not want to marry me anymore? Is it because of her?" Her voice gradually became more hurt sounding as she talked. Guilt filled his being.

"She's been gone for three months Tenzin, and you haven't stopped thinking of her, she left. You sent her away. What is it about her? She hasn't known you since you were children, she didn't have bending battles with you, she didn't go to school with you, she hasn't been there for you like I have! I thought I was the only woman you'd ever love, and yet you pine after her like a schoolgirl!" Lin shook her head angrily.

Tenzin closed his eyes. He knew what he had to do. "Lin… I'm so sorry, but I just, we've been growing apart for years, surely you've seen that. And Pema…" he felt his stomach grow warm at the thought of Pema.

"I guess I should have expected this, Tenzin. I've been put second my entire life, to my mother's job, to Suyin, to Suyin's safety, to my mother's job _again, _I guess it was only a matter of time before you decided that someone else was more important than me." Lin stood now, storming out of the house.

"Lin! I'm sorry!" he followed her, his face twisted with pain. He didn't want to hurt her.

"You're sorry? Tell me that you still love me, and I'll believe you," she spat, getting into a defensive position. He shook his head, unable to lie anymore. "I can't do that Lin. We can't be together anymore."

Without another thought, she slammed her foot into the ground, sending the ground into a shockwave of uneven ripples. After she threw a few rocks at him for good measure and destroyed the dock, she left. Tenzin was left staring at the destruction left in her wake.

* * *

><p>The next morning he called a crew of earthbenders to clean up the island. And he meditated. He meditated a lot for the next two months. The news had a field day with his breakup with Lin, and he could feel the heat on him as more marriage proposals poured in in droves. Lin tried to talk to him several times, but he dutifully avoided her like the coward he was. He also missed Pema more than ever. He needed Pema to feel happy, she was his gentle winds and spirits did he need her.<p>

So he put his saddle on Oogi and flew for two days straight to the Western Air Temple. Since his arrival was just before dawn, and he was unexpected, nobody was awake. He waited by the fountain, pleased to see how well taken care of the Temple was. Vaguely he wondered if Pema was happy there or not. He hoped she was. Otherwise it was his fault for hurting her so much.

He felt that indescribable sense of peace fill his body as he saw that she was the first acolyte to come upon him at the fountain. "Pema!" he called out. The scrolls she was carrying were dropped and she looked at him in shock. Immediately she bowed and picked up the scrolls. Steeling his nerves, he walked towards her, watching her flustered eyes and pink cheeks.

"Master Tenzin," she said, and his heart soared to hear that tone of voice she used to have with him. "I wasn't- we weren't expecting you," she admitted lamely.

"I know, but I had to come see my favorite pupil, it's been too long. I missed you." He leaned in towards, her, and she leaned towards him, her beautiful jade green eyes shimmering in the morning light.

"It has been too long," Pema agreed, as she looked at him through her lashes. Her hand reached up hesitantly and touched his face. "You've grown a beard." Tenzin found himself chuckling. "I like it, it suits you."

"I'm glad that you like it," he joked, enjoying the feeling of just being with her. Her smile fell, "And what does Lin think of it?"

"It doesn't matter anymore what she thinks of it," Tenzin replied, watching Pema look at him with hope in her eyes and and a smile growing on her lips. "I love you Pema, I have loved you for a long time, but I never realized it until recently. I was a fool to send you away, because I love you."

Her lips were warm and pliant under his, and her hands were soft against his cheek and chest. He pulled away for a moment, "I love your eyes," and he kissed her once more, "and your smile," kiss, "and your kindness," kiss, "and devotion," kiss, "and loyalty," kiss, "and everything that makes you _you_." Tears of joy were pouring down both their faces as they embraced in front of the fountain, his cheek rested atop her head. For the first time in his life, everything felt completely and utterly right.

Tenzin could accurately say when he met Pema, that she was as temperate as the summer winds, as sweet as spring rainshowers, and as lovely as anyone he ever met in his life. He loved her, and he was never letting her go.


End file.
